The First Goodbye
by Preciousheart93
Summary: After their last case together on Aurora, it's time for Daneel and Baley to part ways.


Daneel wasn't as warm as a human. Humans generated their own body heat, and even his genius inventors couldn't equip him with that. His form molded comfortably around Baley's, but it felt like embracing plastic.

Daneel didn't move as much as a human. Any person Baley would hug in the past might rock him back and forth, stroke his shoulder, or nuzzle his hair. Daneel stood like a rock, his arms carefully frozen around Baley's body, and didn't respond any further than that.

Daneel was definitely not as emotional as a human. Under circumstances such as these, any human would be whispering in Baley's ear, fervently telling him how much he would be missed, perhaps with a quaver in the voice or unshed tears in the eyes. Indeed Baley himself was trying to suppress his emotion, to not feel upset. This might be goodbye, but it didn't mean he would never see Daneel again. (And why was it so important for him to see Daneel again…?)

When he had first stepped out of the spacecraft on its return to Earth, all Baley could think about was how strange it would be to return home. It was only when Daneel gripped his elbow to lead him outside that Baley realized that he didn't want to take leave of his partner. He rounded on him, longing to scrutinize his blue eyes, to see if the robot would show any sign of pain at the parting- but he knew that any emotion was a personal projection. Squaring his shoulders, Baley gazed upon Daneel's gently impassive face.

"I guess this is goodbye," he said, a little more gruffly than he'd intended.

"Yes, Partner Elijah," Daneel agreed. "This is goodbye. It will not be pleasurable for me to part from you, but it must be done."

Baley offered his hand and the two shook formally. All the while Baley's mind was wrapped up in dread. Parting with Gladia had been difficult already, but the flight back to Earth had been long enough for her scent to dull in his nostrils, for the taste of her skin to fade from his mouth. He'd managed to distract himself in conversation with Daneel, and eventually he had put her out of his mind altogether.

Now he had to say a proper goodbye to his partner, and he didn't know where to start. How did two beings just turn away from each other and walk in different directions, trusting themselves not to look back? Baley wasn't even certain if the direction he was about to go in was the right one. Back to New York, back to the caves of steel and to Jessie and Ben- how could he stay there? Solaria had altered him enough already, and now Aurora had turned him into an entirely different man.

Though he knew it was useless, Baley tried to prolong the conversation anyway. "I don't suppose you'll miss me," he suggested to Daneel. "Or are you capable of that?"He didn't really want to know. It would hurt him either way. But Daneel responded easily. "I believe it is so, Partner Elijah. I do not understand fully what it means for humans to miss other humans, but I do feel that the world of my perception will be smaller without you in it. There will not be the specific pleasure that I mentioned previously that you bring to me. Still, we shall carry on separately. I don't think this will be our last meeting."

Each word was spoken in the same dispassionate tone that Daneel perpetually used with everyone. It was the only tone a robot, even a humaniform robot, could speak in. Baley suddenly wished that Daneel would show more emotion, would give him proof of the lack of pleasure in his upcoming life. His words eased the parting a bit, but Baley was not content to hear that Daneel wouldn't miss him in the way humans would.

"On Aurora…"he said, and resisted the urge to glance surreptitiously about himself. They had all the time in the world for goodbyes, but eventually someone had to get suspicious…

"Yes, Partner Elijah?" Daneel prompted when it seemed that Baley had lost his train of thought. One corner of Baley's mouth tugged upward, and he gazed down at the robot's feet.

"On Aurora, I…I admitted that I love you," he said, as lightly as possible. "Can a robot feel love?"

Daneel hesitated for a moment that felt like a lifetime to Baley, and then he said, "If to love is to regard another being in an affectionate manner and to enjoy their company above the company of others, then yes, I love you, Partner Elijah."

A warm flush spread through Baley's body from the pit of his stomach, and he was too pleased to think that previously he had only felt this way with certain women. He stepped forward, the name forming on his lips. "Daneel-" But what did he expect Daneel to do? How could a robot give consent when bound under the Second Law?

Still, Daneel stepped towards him, and suddenly they were colliding into each other. Baley threw his arms around Daneel's neck and leaned in close, not caring if anyone was watching.

Daneel wasn't as warm as a human, but he gave Baley warmth when he was near. He didn't move as much a human, but his steadiness was supportive, a solid rock in Baley's life. And he was nowhere near as emotional, but the fact that he felt anything at all regarding Baley in his own robotic way spoke volumes.

They clung to each other as if they expected time to stand still. Was Baley really taking in Daneel's scent?- were those Daneel's cool lips at Baley's cheek?-

And then they broke apart, and after a final statement of "Goodbye," Baley had turned his back on his partner, his friend. He walked away with a hollow emptiness in his heart.

_Goodbye, Partner Daneel._


End file.
